Muskie School of Public Service

In the Season 3 finale of "The USM Update," USM Provost Jeannine Uzzi welcomes guests from across the university to discuss new studies and a new degree in Leadership, excellence in athletics and, with some of our graduating students, life during and after their time at USM.

When Regan Thibodeau picks up her degree this Spring, the Falmouth woman will become the first deaf Maine native to earn a doctorate and one of a shockingly few number of deaf doctorate-holders worldwide. Thibodeau, who has taught for years at USM, says she wants her Ph.D. — in public policy with a concentration in educational leadership — to show other deaf people that it can be done. And she hopes it will happen more often.

The University of Southern Maine, in collaboration with Maine Small Business Development Centers, has launched a free online program to train small business retail workers in preventing and responding to violence.

Jarvis Thanex Louis spoke no English when he left his home of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti in the months that followed the 2010 earthquake. Maine and the University of Southern Maine became his place to start over away from the reminders of the tragedy. "In Haiti, every day you saw something that reminded you of what happened: you lost all of your friends; you lost family members."In Maine, he found peace. He learned English with the help of library staff — "They are my favorite people at USM," he says — and the farmer's son began taking classes in Environmental Science.

Leading up to the University of Southern Maine 2019 Commencement, many departments are busy with special events celebrating the accomplishments of their graduating students in a more intimate setting.

Congratulations to Dr. Tracy Michaud, Assistant Professor in Tourism and Hospitality, and undergraduate student Chris Henchcliffe for receiving Best Research Paper at the NENA CHRIE (Northeast North American Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education) conference at Penn State last weekend. Another great example of a successful, collaborative faculty-student research project!

Meredith Sells had worked for five years on Wall Street — cultivating relationships and helping her clients invest their money — when she decided to return to Maine and enroll at the University of Southern Maine. For a young woman who grew up in Cape Elizabeth and had succeeded in New York City, it was an abrupt shift. But Sells, who describes herself as a “curious chameleon,” is a formidable person with the talent and drive to achieve her goals.

In the April episode of "The USM Update," University of Southern Maine (USM) Provost Jeannine Diddle Uzzi steps in for President Glenn Cummings and welcomes guests to talk about scholarships, graduate programs that put students to work and the many opportunities for students to study languages at USM.

The University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service has been awarded a $116,000 grant from OSHA to develop free workplace violence prevention training for small retail and food service businesses.

Jesse Harvey, a current student in the Muskie School's Policy, Planning, and Management program has been an active participant in Maine's Harm Reduction community.